Blythe Chemicals Works

gdm27 · 05-12-2009, 12:00

Does anyone remember working here in the 60's and 70's. Had to be the dirtiest place on the planet to work at that time. I worked for Pilkington Bros. who did lots of work for them. ALL of my tools took on a grey colour with no shine on anything, what did it do to your lungs I wonder. Is it still there and has the place been cleaned up yet???? It must have!

cashman · 05-12-2009, 12:38

worked yon from mid 70s until late 90s, improved greatly from the introduction of H.S.W.A. in early 70s, was a top place to work, some good lads, until was taken oer by "Yule Catto" early 90s, they were only interested in finance, its still yon but most things/ people now gone, since the clowns ran the circus.

yerself · 05-12-2009, 14:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

worked yon from mid 70s until late 90s

Do you remember Dick Cunliffe (welders shop foreman)? "Si thi theer lad, sal ammoniac, iron filings and hoss p1ss, that's wod thi used to mek them theer from."
Roy Roberts, who used to be the fitters shop foreman, is usually to be found in the main stand at Stanley home matches.

cashman · 05-12-2009, 18:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by yerself

Do you remember Dick Cunliffe (welders shop foreman)? "Si thi theer lad, sal ammoniac, iron filings and hoss p1ss, that's wod thi used to mek them theer from."
Roy Roberts, who used to be the fitters shop foreman, is usually to be found in the main stand at Stanley home matches.

Yep "Black Dick" as they used to call him, Roy Roberts i still see occasionally, used to be one of my groupies in the "Plough" still lives up that way, Top Geezer, health aint so good these days though.

never seen roy up stanley, mind i'm in clayton end.

kestrelx · 05-12-2009, 19:20

My brother Phil McHugh used to work there a lot. Nigel Talbot also worked their it was one of those places you could always get a job, such as Karrimor, Crown Paints, Metcalfes and what was that gift factory down Church Lane.

All places to Kill some time...

And earn some money!

scoot66 · 05-12-2009, 21:36

[quote=kestrelx;767730]My brother Phil McHugh used to work there a lot. Nigel Talbot also worked their it was one of those places you could always get a job, such as Karrimor, Crown Paints, Metcalfes and what was that gift factory down Church Lane.

All places to Kill some time...

while "abusing the rules" no doubt

steeljack · 05-12-2009, 21:39

Seem to remember that a few Polish chaps worked there in the years after WW2.

kestrelx · 05-12-2009, 22:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by scoot66

[
while "abusing the rules" no doubt

Ha ha! I abused a few rules when I worked at ASDA say no more!

jaysay · 06-12-2009, 10:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by gdm27

Does anyone remember working here in the 60's and 70's. Had to be the dirtiest place on the planet to work at that time. I worked for Pilkington Bros. who did lots of work for them. ALL of my tools took on a grey colour with no shine on anything, what did it do to your lungs I wonder. Is it still there and has the place been cleaned up yet???? It must have!

I worked at Pilks in the early 70s gdm, and worked a Blythe's on many occasion, me thinks I may know you

cashman · 06-12-2009, 11:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by steeljack

Seem to remember that a few Polish chaps worked there in the years after WW2.

Still quite a few there in my time, all good workers, some could go back home fer a visit, some couldn't, Depending on which uniform they were wearing at the end of W.W.2.

gdm27 · 06-12-2009, 11:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

I worked at Pilks in the early 70s gdm, and worked a Blythe's on many occasion, me thinks I may know you

Sent you a message a few days ago!

keith · 06-12-2009, 21:31

as a hgv driver in the seventies I remember driving into blythes yard to load a manchester liners container and told to report to the yard forman who turned out to be joe slattery ex accrington stanley footballer an old friend from wnen we both worked at the NBC joe at the coke works the job he took after the football and I was a tipper driver on the transport we got made redundant together he went to blythes I went to thomas gilmartins transport and then gilbraiths among the drivers at blythes at that time jimmy hargreaves and a lad from rishton where I lived at that time big jim loynds I believe jim had to finish driving through bad health but blythes kept him on as a forklift driver

cashman · 06-12-2009, 21:54

Remember em all Keith, Joe Slatt, was G.S.D. Foreman, big Jim, n Jimmy, both good lads n drivers.

BERNADETTE · 06-12-2009, 21:59

Joe Slattery is an ace guy

John45378 · 20-03-2011, 21:37

Went there once on a school trip in the Sixties. I remember having to wear goggles and it seemed terrifying!

They used to have a couple of sidings on the railway - one either side of the road bridge.

The one on the Accrington side were mostly for coal - invariably shunted by 47201 - which dated from the nineteenth century.

The ones on the Rishton side generally had tar wagons in there - owned by Lancashire Tar Distillers (somewhere near Manchester) - which were covered in an evil looking black gunk.

Rgds

John45378